I’ve just come back from 3 weeks touring in Denmark with my Roadrat. I was fully loaded (front and rear panniers + my 4 year old son on a followme) but not stupidly heavy I think.

Anyway, the roadrat got called noodle bike as soon as we set off and although it did wonders for my bike handling skills, I think that I need to change frame.

Now, I want a frame I can build with 26inches wheels (roadrat’s got 700cc sputnik with deore hubs and travel contact tyres. The wheels were wonderful and I’ll build the same again in 26).

I want V brakes mount and bolt holes everywhere to mount racks and the usual touring paraphernalia. I’ll use most of what’s on roadrat (I’ll just need to buy new rims and spokes).

Husband was touring on his inbred and just raved by it. The good thing is they’re cheap and can be picked up second hand.

So before I post on the classified ‘swap roadrat frame for inbred’, has anybody got some better suggestions (bear in mind I don’t want to spend a lot at all) ?

Thanks a lot

Drop or straight bars?

I was fully loaded (front and rear panniers + my 4 year old son on a followme)

[quote] I think that I need to change frame.[/quote]

Nope, you need to lose some weight! 😉

Surly Long Haul Trucker

straight bars.

I know everybody raves by the SLH but not in my budget I think.

Stoner, I like your touring style but unfortunately we tour with 2 small kids (one in nappies), in a tent with cooking stuff. Lightweight touring is a thing of the future…

Husband was touring with a singlespeed (and towing our daughter in her trailer).

I’m not that brave.

we chickened out and got a camper van for our touring now (1+ one in nappies too)

🙂

i use an old marin point reyes as a commuter ticks all your boxes bar one… disc brake only.

How about an old (~’90’s) mountain bike frame built up as a tourer. Can be picked up for peanuts (well mebbies cashews).

Inbreds dont have v-brake bosses any more and i dont think they have ever had mudguard mounts (on account of not having a chainstay bridge).

Off the top of my head only a Surly Troll or a Thorn Ripo would seem to suit your requirements and are available as frame only. Lots of cheaper complete build MTB’s or 26″ commuter type bikes might suit if thats an option. If you go S/H then plenty of late 90’s MTB frames will do the job tho, from before everyone went disc only.

My earlier geared Inbred frame has a chainstay bridge and will run disc or V rear. I’m running V and have fitted a rack with minimal faff.

What you get with a touring frame (eg LHT or Thorn Sherpa) should be plenty of braze ons and long chainstays (460mm on LHT vs 425mm on Inbred). This means that more of the rear luggage weight can be forward of the rear axle and still have heel / pannier clearance. Having the weight within the wheelbase helps with stability and reduces ‘tail wagging dog’ effect. The tubing is also chosen to be better with a load. People, especially lighter ones, sometimes find touring frames ‘unresponsive’ and better with a load than without.

You could try moving wheels as far back as they’ll go in Roadrat dropout to lengthen chainstay and see if that helps. I suspect though that what makes it a nice responsive ride unladen is what makes it noodly laden.

Have you had a chance to try your roadrat with the luggage aboard, but without the followme attached. I’ve not tried one myself, but I don’t like the feel of a trailer bike attached unless it’s a 2 wheeled one. It might be worth considering a childback tandem as that will feel much better than any attachment arrangement. There was one on ebay recently which went for £360 with S&S couplings. Tandems are much more difficult to transport by train than solos if you need to do that though.

Might be worth swapping and seeing how MrM’s Inbred feels with the followme attached and also your Roadrat with the child trailer. You’d get some idea of whether swapping to an Inbred frame would be much better for you.

I think if you ride a 54cm or smaller frame a 26″ LHT will come up sometime. It will take longer if you want a larger frame as they’ve only recently started doing them with 26″ wheels.

Kaffenback. See the Kaffenback thread.

Cheap, patience on ebay

My wife has an ancient trek 970 in steel. Just the job (not that she has riden it much this century). That sort of think must be on ebay

more money

Thorn cycles will cover every option and more

My more multi purpose is an orange Gringo, that and the old Clock work, C16r, orange prestige etc from pre suspension days would work

failing ebay try my brother in law on here

http://www.re-buy-cycle.co.uk/forsale.php

I bet he has something lying around…